The Red Sox are coming back to The Bronx on Tuesday after sweeping the Yankees from May 13-15. ESPN and Red Sox play-by-play man Dave O’Brien spoke with The Post’s Justin Terranova about Boston’s bounce-back from a dreadful start — and how the Yankees played a part in it.

Q: How negative did fans get when the Red Sox got off to the dreadful start?

A: It was just short of people lining up on bridges in Boston. So much was expected and they got out of the gate 0-6, then 2-10, and it was a shock. There was a feeling that this just couldn’t happen. . . . It went way beyond unexpected.

Q: What was the turning point?

A: I think that the Yankees series, where they got their first win, because that’s who they expect to be battling with all year. You never got the feeling of panic inside the Red Sox clubhouse, but there was a hurricane around the team. And the guys on the field had to withstand that.

Q: Are you surprised at how good Adrian Gonzalez is?

A: He is better than I thought he was, and I thought he was damn good. Defensively, he is unconscious at first base. He will try to make every single play; reminds me of Keith Hernandez in that he has great hands, intelligence, terrific around the bag and he’s daring, creative. He’s a better pure hitter than I thought, too.

Q: What’s the biggest reason the Red Sox have climbed back into the race with the Yankees in the AL East?

A: Josh Beckett looking like he did circa 2007. He’s totally healthy now, he just looks like he’s in his prime right now. You couldn’t say that last year when he was battling back and shoulder problems and just wasn’t the same guy.

Q: Are the Red Sox taking a backseat to the Bruins right now?

A: The Bruins are riding in first class and the Red Sox are in coach. Boston is a great hockey town, and getting to the Stanley Cup after all this time has electrified the hockey base, and the non-hockey base is tremendously excited about it. This Saturday, for instance, the Red Sox moved their start time up so people can watch the Bruins. In Boston, winning championships has become the standard. And the Bruins have been the kid waiting for the ride on the side of the road. So there’s a freshness to it, a chance to earn their place.